The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-06
TEHEnENTs' TERROR.
ylsvsH Janilies Awakened b. Fire
q Midnight
~ Panic ssriekea Occupants sf
ne nl.Yssed Batidtng Zen
aerea Homeless.

nsv YsRx, September s The cry
Of Are vas raited this morning on
TiiisthI street, between Tenth and
Beventh avenues. II was no sooner
heard than q scene OF the Widest ex.
si.enent and panic ensusd. The
block is allied with tenement houses
on both sides OF the street. The Ere
wss In the Aith story double decker,
NJ. b22, which, with four others ad-
Joining II, ere owned by Messrs. Potter
Bros. The buildings are Of brick and
have about sevsnty.ave feet depth,
four families living on each door. In
the basement are wood houses and
coal bias. The FIRE apparently started
Ia ono Of the wood houses, shot up
through the cir sha., burned Its way
toward the stairway and spread Its
force In The upper stories. Luckily
several apartments In the house had
no. been occupied recently and there
were only eleven families living there.
They we're panic stricken. They had
70 and their way through the smoke,
men ssrryiog children, and women
carrying their arms full Of clothing,
household eAscts, eio. A panic equal.
" O. great occurred In the houses Nos.
SIS and $40, when there really WAS no
dinser. To add to the horror, the gas
Was turned OF and In the excitement
NJ light solid be had. Tho people,
frantic in their efforts to escape, fell
over each other and trsmpled upon
one smother, and 10 the dark there
vas . struggling, surging mass OF hui
mainly. The scene that was
enacted besgars description. The pc.
lioe officer had gone 10 the top II )or,
leaving 0fficer Hasgery on the third
6Jor, where he Was assisting little girl
70 get out. He helped her down she
stairs, and Just thtn the lanes began
20 show the pselves on the third Il )or
and cut on his escape. His right hand
was severely burned. He rushed 10
the top story and got out on the roof
with 0faosI Bropby. They climbed
down 10 the adjoinirg roof aud came
dosn through hat building.
Ths escape Of the people In the
burned building was most fortunate.
Some a them went mp 10 the roof and
escaped TO the nd Joining building. and
q few managed 10 get down e,airs
through the smoke and advancing
h,mea The excitement was intepss
Women thiieked and children cried
Tbs 6remen aided CALAMITY Ia the
escape OF the inmates. The hamts
shot up the stairway and beat their
way 70 the front OF the building.
They rspidly shot on. on all sides
through the windows and the roof.
The inmates a Nos. bl8 and $40 bs-
came alarmed and left their rooms.
They had 10 do 90 In the dark, ~ the
gas had been turned, of. James
Harmon Jumped frem the roof OF No.
SIS TO the roof Of No. 6l8 aud had his
leg broken. A man named Dowd fell
In the street and cut his head. A
little girl va, left GA the balcony
Of the Top story OF No. Sis, but Was
rescued by ere men. Fireman Nc
HeuiaIa anu soAn1 ntmNh WNA' ha w
third story when q huge tank crashed
through the roof. They had mar
rev escape from being killed. II fell
within lev feet OF them and two Of
the men were struck by falling tim.
bers and brlcks. Fireman Willism
Mobiles Gas ~ work In the yard, when
huge pile Of bricks fell down from the
roof, almost buying him. He was
badly bruised about the body. Toe
ere burned through the two upper
sloriss, badly eating them. IL was
nearly 8 O'clock before the fire wss
got under control. II Was rumored
That several people had been burned
but after the a mrs we're eItlnguishtd
ths hremen made a careful search o
the harmed building, but no bodie,
were discover This occupants o
the burned bul.dirg lost everything
they possessed, and only one Of then
wai insured The loss 10 the build
Ing is abou, $40 100, and that 70 III
oecu panta viii be about fln01,